Martha Hoopes

Martha Hoopes is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Mount Holyoke College and affiliated with the Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (OEB) department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research focuses on spatial and temporal heterogeneity in plant populations and communities, with emphases on invasion dynamics, conservation, and mathematical modeling. She combines experimental and theoretical approaches to address ecological questions.

Education:

• BA in Physics and English, Phi Beta Kappa, Williams College (1987)
• Ph.D. in Ecology, University of California, Davis (1999)

Research Interests:
Dr. Hoopes investigates how environmental variability influences plant community structures and invasive species impacts. Current projects include studying invasive species in the Polygonaceae family (e.g., Polygonum and Rumex), nitrogen-fixing facilitation, and metacommunity dynamics. She employs multifactorial experiments alongside mathematical models to bridge applied and theoretical ecological research.

Labs/Teams:
Affiliated with the OEB department at UMass Amherst, contributing to collaborative efforts in invasion biology and conservation ecology.